Sheet lapping apparatus



Feb. 14, 1961 c. D. MICHAELS 2,971,630

SHEET LAPPING APPARATUS Filed May 23, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H i I ii I I I g 8 8 !2 l4 Pie. 2

l INVENTOR:

OCONTROL CLYDE D. MICHAELS ma 3 y Q0MAA4 his afforney Feb. 14, 1961 c. D. MICHAELS SHEET LAPPING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 23 1956 Pie. 4

w%w E f mm? m n E w V E wmm n m 6 m P United States Patent SHEET LAPPIN G APPARATUS Clyde D. Michaels, Birmingham, Ala assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 23, 1956, See. No. 586,808

' 1 Claim. Cl. 198-35) This invention relates to sheet lapping apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus used in con unction with an electrolytic tinning line. The discharge end of such lines is equipped for automatic shearing, classifying and piling of the tinplate. The plates pass over a system of conveyor belts which permit the deposition of the sheets into reject, mender and prime piles. Two or more belt conveyors at difierent levels are arranged to separate defective sheets from prime sheets. To facilitate stacking of the sheets at the end of these conveyors it is necessary that the sheets be lapped or shingled. The lapping of sheets is obtained by operating the two conveyors at different speeds, the entry conveyor operating at a higher speed than the exit or sheet receiving conveyor. A shingling or pitching plate such as shown in Snyder Patent No. 2,697,506 is mounted between the two conveyors to adjust for constant trajectory of the sheets. The speed of the line and hence the speeds of the entry and exit conveyors vary during the operation of a line for many reasons. For example, when a coil of strip is being fastened to the strip in the line it is necessary to reduce the line speed in many instances. I have found that the sheets will not lap properly during periods of speed changes and that damage to the edges of the sheets will occur.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide sheet lapping apparatus having means for adjusting the height of the shingling plate in accordance with the speed of the processing line or conveyors.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a schematic elevation of the sheet lapping apparatus of my invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure l with parts omitted;

Figure 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of the control for adjusting the height of the shingling plate;

Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing a second embodiment of my invention;

Figure 5 is a view showing part of the apparatus of Figure 4 in a ditferent position; and

Figure 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of the control for the apparatus of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates the entry or first conveyor over which sheets S travel in an unlapped position. A second or sheet receiving conveyor 4 is arranged at the exit end of the conveyor 2 at a slightly lower elevation than the conveyor 2. Means (not shown) are provided for driving the conveyor 2 at a speed greater than that of conveyor 4. A bracket 6 is arranged on each side of the conveyor 2 and carries an l-bolt 8 having the eye at its lower end. A pivot bar 10 is supported in the eyes of the I-bolts 8 and extends transversely of the conveyors 2 and 4 at a position between the conveyors. A curved non-magnetic stainless steel shingling plate 12 is supported on pivot bar 10 by means of sleeve 14 attached to the plate 12. The free end of the plate 12 extends over conveyor 4. The plate 12 is located in'the broken line position shown in Figure 1 when the line and conveyors are operating at slow speeds. Bar 10 and plate 12 may be rotated about their axis by means of a link 16 having one end connected to the bar 10 and its other end pivotally connected to one end of a second link 18. The other end of link 18 is pivotally connected to a crank arm 20 which is mounted on shaft 22 for movement therewith. Referring to Figure 3 a potentiometer 24 having an adjusting arm 26 is connected to a constant voltage source L1L2. The arm 26 is mechanically connected to a two phase reversing A.C. squirrel cage motor 28. The shaft 22 is connected to the motor 28 and thus moves in accordance with the position of arm 26. A tachometer generator 30 has its armature mechanically connected to roll 32 which is preferably a motor drive roll in the processing line.

In any event the tachometer generator 30 is driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the line and the speed of conveyor 2. The voltage output of potentiometer 24 and tachometer generator 30 are connected to a control 34 which compares the two voltages and if the voltages are not equal the diflerence is applied to the motor 28 which operates to position the potentiometer arm 26 to eliminate the unbalance. The control 34 may be a Leeds and Northrup No. 10872 control unit as shown in their Bulletin 077991, issue 1. However, many other types of controls could be used.

The operation of my device is as follows:

Assuming that the processing line is operating at low speeds the plate 12 will be in its highest position shown in broken lines in Figure l and the sheets S will travel on conveyor 2 over the plate 12 and will become lapped on conveyor 4. When the speed of the line is increased the speed of tachometer generator 30 increases, thus generating a greater voltage so that control 34 will cause motor 28 to operate to move arm 26 until the voltage applied from the potentiometer 24 to 'the control 34 equals the voltage generated by tachometer generator 30. When this occurs the motor 28 stops rotating. Since the shaft 22 is connected to move with the arm 26 the crank arm 20 will rotate to move the free end of plate 12 downwardly. If the speed of the line increases still further the arm 12 will again move downwardly until it finally reaches the full line position shown in Figure 1. If the speed of the line decreases plate 12 will move upwardly.

Figures 4 to 6 show a second embodiment of my invention. In this embodiment the position of the plate 12 is controlled by solenoids 36 and 38. The second end of link 16 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 39. The other end of link 39 is pivotally connected to an arm 40 which extends upwardly through eyes 42 and 43 at the lower end of armatures 36a and 38a, respectively. Collars 44 and 45 are provided on the arm 40 for engagement by members 42 and 43 for a purpose which will appear later. Coil 36C of solenoid 36 is connected to power source L3L4 through switch 46 and coil 380 is connected to power source L3L4 through a similar switch 48. The switches 46 and 48 are operated by means of cams 50 and 52, respectively. Cams 50 and 52 are mounted on a shaft 54 which is connected to be driven by a motor 56 which operates a rheostat (not shown) which determines the operating speed of the processing line.

The operation of this device except for the control for positioning the plate 12 is the same as that of the first embodiment. When the line is operating at its highest speed the arm 40 will drop by gravity until collar 44 contacts eye 42 as shown in full lines in Figure 4. When the speed of the line decreases to the point where switch 48 is closed by action of cam 52, coil 38C will be energized, thus magnetizing armature 38a. This moves eye seam n.

43 upwardly contacting collar 45 and raising 44) as shown in Figure 5. This moves plate 12 to a position midway between the full and broken line positions shown in Figure 4. When the speed of the line decreases still further to a point where cam 50' will'. close switch 46, coil 36C'will be energized, thus magnetizing solenoid. 3.6. This moves eye 42 upwardly contacting collar 44 and raising arm 40 to the broken line, positionshown in Figure 4 with theplate 12 moving to the broken line position shown. When the speed increases thereverse operation takes place.

While two embodiments of my invention have been shownand described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from, the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

Sheet lapping apparatus comprising a first conveyor for receiving the unlapped sheets, a second conveyor for receiving the sheets from the first conveyor, said first conveyor traveling at a speed greater, than they speed of the second conveyor, a support arranged transversely of the conveyors at the exit end of'the first conveyor, a plate pivotally mounted on said support with its free end extending over said second conveyor, and means for automatically rotating the plate around its pivot to adjust the height of the exit end thereof in accordance with the speed of the first conveyor, saidtmeans including a movable arm connected to said plate, two spaced collars mounted on'ts'aid larm for'movementtherewith', two spaced solenoids a jacent said am, two eyes around saidtarm onetoperably connected to, each of saidsolenoids, Voneof said eyes adapted to engage one of said collars and' the other of said eyes adapted toengage thev other of said collars, and means for selectively energizing said solenoids.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

